Drying apparatus.



No. 683,269. Patented Sept. 24, l90l.

, JQRGABDNER.

DRYING APPARATUS.

Application filed. May 23, 1900. Renewed Mar. 2, 1901.) (No Model.)

2 Sheqts-Shaet l.

Z 166 666 WEI/615%]? No. 683,269. Patented Sept. 24, mm.

J. a. GARDNER.

DBYiNG APPARATUS.

Applicatipn filed May 23, 1900. Renewed Mar. 2, 1901.)

(No Model.) 7 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

I JOn'IilTA c. GARDNER, or BALTIMORE,

'ro .ronn MITCHELL, JR., or WASH FFlCE.

MARYLAND, ASSIGN OR OF ONEJIALF IN GTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

DRYING nrrnnmus.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 683,269, dated. fieptember e4, 1 e01.

hpplieationfiled May 23, 1900. Renewed Mareh Z, 1901. Serial No. 49,645.

To (all whom it may concern..-

Be it known that I, JOSHUA G. GARDNER, a. citizen of the United States, residing at Balt-imore city, in the Sate of Maryland, have ininvented new and useful Improvements in @entrifugal Apparatus, of which the follow ing is a specification.

This invention relates to centrifugal apparatus for drying, separating, and to some ex- [0 tent carbonizing various gran u lnr materials? such, for instance, as sawdust, grains, and other substances-4n such manner as to eliminate moisture and gases from the materials treated and utilize said gases when reheated for continuing the drying and carbonizing operation.

ihe invention consists in an apparatus comprising a. casing or jacket inclosingn re: tort having a number of comm unicati'ng 2o chambers, centrifugal disks mounted in said retort-chambers, it rotary tubular-shaft by which the centrifugal disks are carried, said shaft being provided with perforations to afford exit for the gases and vapors eliminated, from the material under treatment, a. condenser in communication with one end of' said tubular shaftand in which condenser. the condensible gases and vapors are collected, a blower for removing the non'con- 3o densihle gases from the condenser, a. furnace having therein a. heating-coil to receive the gases from said blower, pipe connections leading frotn said heatingcoil to the-centrifugal retort, a. line connecting the furnace, 5 with the jacket crossing of the retort, and another flue conncctingsaid jacket creasing with a, chimney. 5

My invention furtherconsists in features of construction and in combinations of parts 0 in a centrifugal retort or drying and carbonizing apparatus as hereinafter set, forth.

in the annexed drawings, Figurel isn part sectional elevation of one form of my im proved centrifugal dryingand carbonizing npparetus. Fig. 2 isndenlarged sectional elevation of the centrifugal retort and its jacket or casing. The reference-numeral 1 in Figs. lend-J2 designates a heating jacket or casing in which is inclosed s, retort 2, preferably comprising a series of verticallyarranged and communiwalls of the vertical series of may be in proximity to the top of the re- .tortrcasing 1 and is provided with a central opening 15 for (No model.)

acting retort-chem hers 3 and a series of centrifugal disks 4, respectively mounted in the several retort-chambers. 'lhe retort casing orjacket 1 may be supported inauy suitable manner-41s, for instance, by means of pedestals 5--us'shown. In its bottom portion the jacket or casing 1 is provided with a horizontally-urrauged base-plate 6, Fig. 2, having two vertical and coucentrically-arranged an- 6o nular flanges? and 8, one of which is located at or near the periphery of said base-plate and the other at its center. The rim or top edge of the outermost annular flange 7 is preferably grooved or channeled to receive 6 an interlocking, rib 9 on the lower edge of a.

casting or section 10,'that constitutes the lower half of the lowermost retoi-t cliamber.

. A series of similar castings or sections 10 are to constitute the retort-chamhers 3 comprised in the. retort. These several sections or castings 10 are preferably so shaped that the retort-chambers will each have approximately the form ofa. truncated cone with the lower portion of each retortgchambcr inclined downward and inward and in commie nicat'iop with the chamber below. The uppermost retort-chamber 3 is constructed with a hood 11, Fig. 2, havingin oneside a. flanged 8o feed-opening 12 to connect with the spout 13, Fig. 1, of a hopper 14, through which the material to be treated is fed to the retort. The upper eentrzil portion'of the retort-hood 11 superposedone on another passage of a depending spindle 16, having a-driving-pulley 17 on its upperend outer end. On the outer portion of the spindle 16 there is a collar 18, through 0 which the said pulley-spindle is suspended on ball-bearings 19, of an y suitable construction,

above the top of the retort. A suitable as bestos orother non-conducting pricking 20 may surround the epindlelb" in or adjacent toits hall-bearings to prevent the escape of heat at that point. The lower end ot the dependingpulley-spindle 16 enters the upper endof a tubular vertically-arranged shaft '21, by which the centrifugaldisksi are car to t 'ried.

The spindle 16 and the tubt'ila-r shaft 21mey' be securely connected by mesnsof keys or annular plugs 22, so that said spindle and shaft will rotate together for actuating the centrifugal disks. At its. lower end the vertical tubular shaft :21 is received in the annular flange or nipple S on the base-plate (5 before mentioned. A suitable packing 23, of asbestos or other non-conducting material, is secured on the nipple 8 and closely surrounds the lower portion of the vertical tubularshaft. In one side of the base-plate 6 there is an exitopening 24, communicating with a.chute 25 for discharge of the material that has been treated in the retort or drier. The sweep 26 is carried by a lower port-ion of the vertical tubular shaft 21 to rotate therewith and thereby feed the treated material to the said discharge-chute.

The vertical tubular rotary shaft 21 is provided in each retort-chamber 3 and below a centrifugaldisk 4 with an aperture 27 for exit of the gases and moist vapors that are eliminated from the material under treatment. These gases and vapors are drawn d vvnward through the tubular shaft 21 into a pipe 28, Figs. 1 and 3, that connects with a condenser 29, Fig. 1, of any suitable construction. The upper-end of the pipe :28 is suitably connected with an opening 30 in the base-plate 6, immediatcly below the lower open end of the to retort 2 therein.

tary tubular shaft 21, to provide communication between said pipe and tubular shaft.

As shown in Fig. 1, the condenser 29 is provided with suitable pipe connections 31 and 32 for the circulation til a cooling medium, and it also has a tap for drawiigg off condensed gases and vapors. The non-condcnsible gases are drawn off through a pipe 3t by means of a blower 35 and are passed thence through a pipe 36 to a heating-coil 37 in a furnace 38 of any suitable construction. Thisfurnace 38 is provided with a fine 39, Figs. 1 and 2, 1

connecting with the lower portion of the retort jacket or casing 1 for the passage of heated products pf combustion into and through said casing or jacket and aroundthe For the purpose of causing these heated products of combustion to circulate around the retort 2 there are provided in the casing or jacket 1 aseries of suitablyarranged bafile'jplates 40, Fig. 2, so that the heating medium will be compelled to take a tortuous course from the fine 39 and through the jacket or casing 1 to an upper fine 41, communicating with a chimney 42, as shown in Fig. 1. The products of coinbustion from the furnace 38 are thus utilized in applying heat to the exterior of the several communicating retort-chambers that are inclosed by the heating jacket or casing. The non-condensible gases drawn from the condenser 29 by the blower 35, and which are passed thence through the pipe 36 to the heating-coil 37, will leave said heating-coil through a pipe 4:3, that passes through the furnace-flue 39 and connects with a vcrtically-arranged pipe t4, Fig. 2, having lateral branches 45, which communicate at suitable intervals with sevfurnace.

eral of the series of communicating retortchambcrs 3, and thus the reheated gases eliminated from the material under treatment are utilized for the heating and drying of continuouslysupplied quantities of the same material. If desired, a pipe 46, Fig. 1, may be arranged to conduct from the blower 35 and into the lower part of the furnace 38 a portion of the non-condensible gases which are drawn from the condenser, and thus these gases may be partly utilized by burning'the same in said furnace for heating the coil 37 instead of employing other fuel. The pipe 46 will be provided with a hand-valve 47 for coptrolling the supply of such gases to the The furnace may be also provided with a grate -18 for solid fuel. H

in operating this apparatus the material to be treatedsuch as grain, sawdust, or other granular material-will be fed through the hopper 1i and chute 13 into the upper part of the sectional centrifugal retort, and the centrifugal disks et will be rotated through power applied to the pulley 17 on the rotary tubular shaft 21, by which said centrifugal disks are carried. A fire having been previously started in the furnace 38, the heated products of combustion therefrom Wilhpass through the fine 39 into the casing or jacket 1 of the centrifugal retort 2 and after circulating around the same, as directed by the baffles 40, will pass out from the upper part of the casing or ackct and through the upper fine 41 to the chimney. posed retort-chambers are thus, thoroughly heated from the outside. The sawdust or the granular material that enters the retort through the feed-opening 12 will fall upon the uppermost centrifugal disk 4 and by the rotation of said disk will be thrown outward against the Walls of the retort-chamber and will fall thence onto the next lower centrifugal disk and be again thrown outward against the walls of the retort-chamber in which this disk is located. This operation is repeated continuously throughout the retort from above downward. By reference to Fig. 2 it will be observed that the peripheral portion of each centrifugal disk. is inclined slightly upward, so that the material is thrown from each disk in an upwardly-inclined direction to strike againstthe upper portion-of each retort-chamber. Under the centrifugal action to which the material ,is thus subjected and also by the impact ofthe material against the walls of the'retort the particles of said materialare separated from each other, and thri t exposedon all sides of each particle to the action of the heating medium contained in the retort. At the beginning of th'eoperation this heating medium will be furnished by the air'that is contained in the retort; but as the operation proceeds the gases orvapors that are eliminated from the material under treatment and which are gradually increased The several "super- IOO tag

in temperature will in turn act uponthe xnabut the sawdust is t dust is notinjured,

sawdust; is not subjected to such a high deleft in a condition able shapes and the briquets may be passed other material passes down through the retort its particles are kept separated from each other and are contin uouslysu rrounded by the hot gases contained in the retort. 'lh'ese hot i gases extract from the material all light oili vapors, pyroligeuous acid, and other byprodi nets. The gases and vapors eliminatcdfrom i the material under treatment will enter the l tubular rotary shaft. :31 through the openings 27 therein and will be drawn off from this shaft and into the pipe and condenser 2.) by the action of the blower 35, which communicates with said condenser. The open lugs 27 are so located in lhe'tulmlar'shaft 21, preferably at points adjacent to the under side of each centrifugal disk 1-, that there is no liability of any of.the sawdust or other solid material entering the tulmlarshaft,thc said solid material .beim, thrown away from said openings by theaction of the centrifugal disks, while only the gases will enter the tn: bnlar shaft. liy'thc action of the centrifugal disks the part ielcs of sawd ustor other granular material are thoroughly separated from each other, so as not to'remain in a compact or agglomerated conditiomand thus the hotgases are given free access to ever particle of material to'thoroughly dry the same. When the sawdustis treated in this manner, the fibers are notdisintcgralcd nor in any way injured, merely dried out and, it maybe, slightly carbouimd orbrowned. The

gree'of heat as to eliminate its heavyoil con: stituentaand the the browned sawdust is l e be readily briqueted in anyilesired shape or form suitable for making shingles, roofing material, chair-bottoms, tabio-tops, or other articles. When the sawdust; is thus browned, it; is completely seasoned and it has been relieved of the acids "through the hot gases.

it will be noted that the centrifugal operations and the heating or drying of the material are repeated in each retortrchambcr and as many times as may be necessary, and for this purpose the retort; may be constructed with any suitable numher of com inunieating retort-chambers each lnclosing a centrifugal dish. The instant that the dust is heated sufiiciently the prod nets to be eliminated will burst; out in the form of vaponor hot gas, which in turn will react on the material to continnetho elimination of the Irv-products. When the saw dust reaches the bottom oi the retort, it is conducted by the sweep :20 to'tiie discharge" chute :35 and may be collected therefrom for briqueting or any other purpose. The noneondensible' gases that, are drawn from. the condenser 29 are forced by the blower-'35 into and through the coilb? and are there reheat;- ed and and lateral branches 45 into the retort, to be there utilized fordrying and carhonizing the sawdust or other material.

solid fuel or by gas so 46, as preferred.

A What I claim as my invention is- 1. In a centrifugal apparatus for drying, seasoning or earbonizing granular material, a retort com prising a series of communicating retort-chambers, a plurality of. centrifugal disks mounted respectively in the several retort-chambers, a rotary hollow shaft: connected to said disks, means for externally heating saidre ort, means for feeding mate rial into the uppermost retort-chamber and for discharging t rated material from the lowermost. reton clnimher, a condenser suit pplied through the pipe recei vc from the and other chemicals that are objectionable in articles of furnitu re. The fiber of the sawand it can therefore be pressed into any desired shape without. necessity of a binder. The sawdust will be vapors evolved from the material treated in the retort, means for drawing off the noncomlensiblovapors or gases from said coudensihle gases or vapors, and means connected thereto for properly browned in this apparatus for the construction of articles, as above named, when it has passed through a temperature of from about 120 centigrade to 2205centigrade. If it is desired to employ the sawdust: for fuel, itcan' be liriqucted into suitinto another retort, (not; sl1o\vn,) where they can be reduced to charcoal. My reason of the peculiar: construction of the centrifugal retort; sawdust or other granular material can be fed into and passed continuously through such retort without choking the same;- L: and at; the same time every grain or particle" of the material under treatment will beso completely separated from the others as to have each grain or particle wholly surrounded by hot gases. The drying or carbonizing takes place in the retort while the particles of material acted upon are thus separated or vapors to said retort-chambers.

:3. In centrifugal apparatus for drying, seasoning or carbonizing granular materials, the combination of a retortcomprising a noun ber of communicatingretort-chambers, a heating jacketorcas'ing for said retort, a tubular rotary shaft extended through the retort-cln'nnbensycentrifugal disks lo'eatedin the severalretortg chambers and mounted on said tubular rotary rotary shaft beingprovidedwith apertures for the exit froni the several retort-chambers of gases or vapors'cvolved from the material treated thoreim'means for feeding material into the uppermost retort-chamber, discharge devices at-jtho bottom of the retort for removing the t-rcatcd material, a furnace for heating the retort casing-or jacket, and pipes for conducting hot gases into the retort, substanand suspended. and while they are falling tially as described.

passed through the pipes 43 and it The furnace 38 may be heated by meausot.

ably connected to said; shaftand adapted to retort-chambers the gases orshaft-, the said tubular denser, means for reheating said nouconreturning said rehcatedgases 3. la centrifugal apparatus fordryiug, l relort-chaminers and provided with apertures soning or carboniziug granular materials, the

combination of a retort comprising a. number of superposed and communicating retortchambers and having a feed-inlet in the uppermost chamber and a discharge leading from the lower chamber, a'heating jacket or casing for said retort, a vertically-arrangcd tubular rotary shaft suspended through the communicating retort-cha1nbers, said tubular rotary shaft being provided with apertures for the passage of gas or vapor from the retort-chambers and into said shaft, a nu lll her of centrifugal disks mounted on said tubular rotary shaft and respectivelyarranged in the several retort-chambers, means for heating the retort from the exterior, and pipes for conducting hot gas to the interior of the retort, substantially as described.

4. In centrifugal apparatus for drying, seasoning or carbonizipg granular materials, the combination of a retort comprising a number of communicating retort-chambers and having abase-plate provided with a centrally located tipwardlyprojecting annular flange or nipple, a rotary tubular shaft suspended through the several communicating retortchambers and having its lower and received in said nipple, nonconducting packing surrounding the lower end of said tubular shaft and secured to said nipple, the said rotary tubular shaft being provided with apertures for exit of gas from the retort-chambers into said tubular shaft, a number of centrifugal disks mounted on the rotary tubular shaft and arranged respectively in the several chambers, a rotary spindle through which saidshaft is suspended at its upper end, said spindle being provided with a, driving-pulley and rith ball-bearings and non-conducting packing, aheating jacket orcasingsurrounding the retort, a condenser havingan inletpipe communicating with the lower end of the tubular rotary shaft, for passage of gds from the retort to said condenser, and means for discharging treated material from the retort, substantially as described.

5, In centrifugal apparatus for drying, seasoning or carhonizinggrauular materials, the combination of arctort comprisinga number of communicatinp, retort-chambers, each approximately in the form of atruncated cone, a tubular rotary shaft extended through the for cxit of gas from said chambers and into said shaft, a number of centrifugal disks mounted on said shaft and arranged respectively in the several retort-chambers, the uppermost rctort-chamber being provided with a fccd-inlct arranged to discharge material upon the uppermost centrifugal disk, a-discharge-chute leading from the bottom of the retort, a rotary sweep carried by -the lower end of said rotarytubular shaft, a heating jacket or casiug'surrounding the retort, pipes for conducting hot gases into the retort, and a pipe for conducting gas away from the lower cud of the tubular rot-try shaft,substautially as described.

6. In centrifugal apparatus for drying, seasoning or cnrbonizing granular materials, the combination of a retort comprising a number of communicating retort-chambers con structcd in sections superposed one on another,a rotary tubular-shaft extended through the retorts and provided with passages for the exit of gas, centrifugal disks mounted on and actuated through said shaft, said disks being severally arranged in the retort-chambers, means for feeding material into the uppermost retort-chamber to be received therein on the uppermost centrifugal disk, and devices for discharging treated material from the lower part of the retort, substantially as described.

7. In centrifugal apparatus for drying, seasoning or carbonizlng granular materials, the combination of a ret0rt,a rotary tubular shaft extended vertically through the rctort,a num ber of centrifugal disks mounted on and actuated by said shaft, a heating jacket or casing surrounding the retort and provided at its lower end with an inlet-flue and at its up per end with an outlet'rfiue, battles arranged in said jacket or casing to cause. the heating mediumto circulate around the retort, and pipes for conducting hot gases to the interior of the retort, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of'two subscribing wit- "nesses.

Joshua o. GARDNER.

Witnessesr JAMES L. Nonms,

Geo. W.. REA. 

